Record number of tourists in Catalan hotels in June, the most expensive in history

BarcelonaThe forecasts for moderation in the tourism sector, with first signs such as the drop in international visitors in May, are not yet noticeable in hotels that have been recording record-breaking years following the pandemic shutdown. With the tourism industry propped up as an economic engine for this year, Catalan establishments registered a record number of travelers in June: never before have so many tourists slept in their beds. All this, at a time when the sector is experiencing its highest prices on record.

This is according to the latest data from the hotel occupancy survey for the month of June and published this Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). The hotel sector in Catalonia, one of the main destinations in Spain as a whole for both national and international tourists, accommodated 2.45 million tourists, 5.6% more than in June of last year and the highest figure in the historical series, which began in 1999. A slight decrease, 0.2% compared to the same month in 2024, standing at 6.89 million. This is explained by the fact that the average stay was 2.81 days, the highest value this year now that the tourist season is beginning and vacations are getting longer, but 6% lower than in June last year, when it was 2.98 days. Hotel occupancy remained at 66.52% (66.36% in 2024).

Therefore, June was a record month for tourists, who decided to stay fewer days on average, a behavior that cannot be separated from the record prices offered by hotel rooms. In Catalonia, the price of one night increased by 0.9% to 135.3 euros. Likewise, the income obtained by hoteliers per room also grew, but even more, with almost 2.98% more than last year, up to 104.70 euros.

Barcelona, also a record

In a city where the tourism debate sparks more passion each season, Barcelona replicated the strong tourism trend seen across Catalonia in June, although industry players have been warning for months that the city is slowing down. The city welcomed 807,276 tourists in June, 7.6% more than the same month in 2024, with a clear predominance of international travelers, who account for 86% of the total. Across the province, there were 1.35 million travelers in June, 4.5% more than a year ago, the highest figure ever recorded by the INE (National Institute of Statistics).

However, overnight stays fell in Barcelona establishments, as was the case across Catalonia. Specifically, they stood at 1.9 million, almost 2% less than a year ago. Despite this decrease, the city remained one of the 10 municipalities with the most overnight stays in all of Spain, along with others such as Madrid, Benidorm, Salou, and Lloret de Mar.

Here, the same thing happened as in Catalonia as a whole: the average stay fell compared to last summer, standing at 2.39 days in Barcelona, compared to 2.62 days a year ago. Hotel occupancy also decreased, with 72.3% of beds full in the Catalan capital compared to 74.4% in June 2024.

In the city, spending a night in a hotel cost an average of 215.8 euros, also the highest figure in recent years. A price that is diluted throughout the Barcelona area, where the average daily room rate was 166.3 euros, surpassed only by that of May, when it rose to almost 180 euros, reaching the highest room rate in recent years.